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 A blistering opening quarter by the Clippers set the tone for a
123-87 rout of the Lakers on Friday night before a sellout crowd of
19,316 at Staples Center.
Forward Blake Griffin scored 33 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and
recorded four steals in three quarters as the Clippers (26-13)
coasted to their third straight win and fifth in the last six games
while dealing the woeful Lakers (14-23) their third consecutive loss
and 10th in the past 11 contests. The blowout allowed the Clippers
to avenge a 116-103 defeat by the Lakers on opening night.
"It wasn't a long, long time ago," said Griffin of the 13-point
setback that occurred Oct. 29. "Both teams are in a different
position now, obviously. But we definitely remembered."
It was the largest Clipper win over the Lakers since 1992, when they
beat them by 31 points. Defense triggered it, Clippers coach Doc
Rivers said.
"I thought our ball pressure literally changed the game," Rivers
said. "The first five minutes, both teams were just going up and
down. (The Lakers) have so many injuries. Kendall (Marshall) is
really their only point guard. So when they had to sub him out, and
we could put pressure...I thought our guys were really ready for
that and did a nice job. But I was really happy with our defense
tonight."
Guard Darren Collison had 20 points and seven assists for the
Clippers, while backcourt mate J.J. Redick, who returned after
missing 21 games with a torn ligament in his right wrist, scored 19.
Center DeAndre Jordan finished with 13 points, seven blocks and 10
rebounds.
Marshall led the Lakers with 16 points and 10 assists. Forward
Wesley Johnson and center Robert Sacre had 14 points each. Forward
Nick Young scored 11, while forward Pau Gasol managed just 10
points, missing 10 of his 15 shots from the floor.
Young said the Lakers needed to develop a spine before things
improve.
"It's frustrating, especially for a game like tonight," Young said.
"Everybody is supposed to get up for a game like this. This game is
supposed to be fun and you're supposed to enjoy it. But to lose like
that, that's embarrassing. We shouldn't lose by 40 to nobody,
especially at home to a team like the Clippers. That makes it worst.
"We can't let people just dunk on us and clown us without give a
hard foul or even showing some emotion. Someone dunks on us, we just
put our heads down, and let them continue to do it. Foul somebody,
get mad."
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The Clippers opened with a flourish, hitting 17 of their 24 field
goals (70.8 percent) and rolling to a 43-25 lead after one quarter.
Griffin tied his career-best in the first with 18 points on 6-of-8
shooting and 6-of-7 free throws and leading the Clippers on a 19-4
run in the final four minutes after the Lakers had pulled to within
22-21 after a dunk by Gasol. The Lakers shot 42.9 percent (9 of 21)
in the quarter.
Nine turnovers by the Lakers and only three by the Clippers also
didn't help their cause. The Lakers, tied for 25th in the league
with 15.2 turnovers per game entering the contest, committed 13
miscues to only four for the Clippers by halftime.
The Clippers, who cooled considerably in the second quarter by
shooting 26.9 percent (7 of 26) compared to 45.5 percent (10 of 22)
for the Lakers, held a 70-52 advantage at the break.
It got worst in the third quarter as the Lakers, who trailed by as
much as 43 points, were held to a season-low eight points on 2 of 20
shooting (10 percent).
"You're going to win a lot of games when you do that," Rivers said
of his team's defensive effort in the third.
NOTES: Lakers G Steve Nash could return within the next two weeks.
Nash, who has been out since November with nerve root irritation in
his back, shot for about 45 minutes before the game. ... The
Clippers worked out F Hedo Turkoglu on Thursday. Although coach Doc
Rivers said he was impressed, he added the club wouldn't sign the
former Orlando Magic star "anytime soon." ... Rivers was much more
coy regarding the Clippers' interest in free agent C Andrew Bynum
despite being asked repeatedly. "What's his name?" Rivers joked when
asked about Bynum. "I won't say. I'm playing poker right now." ...
The Lakers resume play Tuesday when they host former coach Mike
Brown and the Cleveland Cavaliers. ... The Clippers get a four-day
break before they meet the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday at Staples
Center.
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